


a blinding sunset

by californiasunshine



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, no smc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29120448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/californiasunshine/pseuds/californiasunshine
Summary: Nayeon convinces Jihyo to accompany her to a lesbian dating class so she can explore her new found bisexuality. If only she was prepared to whom she’ll meet.
Relationships: Hirai Momo/Im Nayeon, Minatozaki Sana/Park Jisoo | Jihyo, Myoui Mina/Yoo Jeongyeon
Comments: 5
Kudos: 51





	1. one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had this saved on my draft since 2019, i'd intended for it to be a multi pairing loona au, but soon after i started writing i lost interest... then recently i got into sahyo and i thought it’d be nice to try this with them. it's based on chuu's kdrama dating class from tvn d story if y'all wanna check it out :)
> 
> also happy jihyo day!!! uhul

Nayeon stared at her best friend lying on the couch on the other side of their apartment. With hair all messy and kneaded clothes, Jihyo was fully engrossed in the novel she was reading, seemingly not paying attention to her roommate.

“Hyo!” the girl whined. “You agreed.”

The younger girl barely raised an eye from her task, “What’s in for me?” she asked for what felt like the one-hundredth time. They had been having that argument for over a week now, and Nayeon still didn’t seem to understand that she wasn’t interested. Maybe she should draw, Nayeon responded better to images.

“Maybe you’ll meet future Mrs. Park, and I’ll have a blast when I give a speech at your wedding as your maid of honor. I’ll say something like _if it weren’t for me, we wouldn’t be here celebrating, etc._ You’re welcome.”

Jihyo snickered, “I highly doubt that.” She could still feel her friend’s incredulous stare from the other side of the room.

Nayeon walked to her friend and jumped atop of her, knocking the book out of the way, “Hyo, I need my best friend there to give me support.”

Jihyo looked at her, unimpressed, “You know the moment you see a pretty girl you’re going to act like I don’t even exist. I don’t see why I need to go.” She insisted.

“You said you were going. You need to keep your word!” Nayeon retorted, making it sound as if it was the most obvious thing. Which it was. “Also Jeongie already ditched me so only you can help me now.”

Jihyo rolled her eyes, pushing the girl to sit next to her, “I told you I didn’t want way before you even asked her. Why are you blackmailing me and not her?”

Her friend flopped down onto the couch next to her with an exaggerated sigh, “ _Because_ _she_ has a solid excuse, _unlike_ _you_ who has way too much free time in your hands and no offense, but could use the excuse to finally find a girlfriend. I’ve never seen you in a relationship; I don’t even remember the last time you went on a date! It was definitely over six months ago.”

Jihyo gave her a dirty look as she let her mouth fall open in mock-offense, “Uh? Offense taken? It’s not my fault there’s barely a single person interesting on campus. And you know I have anything but free time to fool around. I’ve been busy,” she said, even as she felt herself flush. It wasn’t like she’s lying.

Jihyo’s too focused on pursuing her dream of becoming a professional singer. So besides college, she conciliated her time between gigs and endless practice. Dating someone only meant more work added to her life on top of all the emotional stress that comes with it, which was everything that Jihyo didn’t need right now.

Nayeon quirked her eyebrow, “Everyone’s busy; we still manage to get laid now and then,” she sent Jihyo a lascivious grin, “And I know you haven’t had any action in forever.”

Her cheeks burned even as she scoffed but didn’t refute. Nayeon’s bedroom was right in front of hers; she knew when Jihyo spent the night with anyone.

Her friend pouted, “Come on! You haven’t even gone out with me just to have fun in months. You’ve been like this ever since you came out.”

Jihyo could feel her cheeks burning annoyingly hotter as she shot Nayeon a glare, “I just don’t want to go out; it has nothing to do with my… self-discovery.”

“Yeah, well, you’re becoming a hermit. You’re laying here on a Friday night, already in some pyjama shorts, ready to… what, read all night long?” she gestured exaggeratedly toward the book on her friend’s hand before falling back against the cushion with a groan.

Jihyo rolled her eyes, “Don’t be so dramatic. And since when binge drinking my way through the weekend is better than improving my knowledge?”

Nayeon ignored her comment, “I also don’t like that you spent months in a crisis about your sexuality, and when you finally come to terms with being bisexual, you won’t even go out and give it a try.”

“I don’t need to try anything out; I already know.” That, at least, was the absolute truth.

“Well, what’s the point in stepping out of the closet if you’re too much of a chicken shit to go on a date with a girl?” Nayeon looked genuinely quizzical, which made the sarcastic remark die on Jihyo’s lips.

Jihyo wasn’t in the closet per se. Not after she drunkenly made out with Nayeon during a wild night out after finals last spring, which led Jihyo to spend most of the summer agonizing over her sexuality. She’d never thought of herself as anything other than straight before. Because she’d always liked boys and the way she felt with them. Then there had been that kiss, and she liked that, too. She’d _really_ liked it.

So as the summer had gone on, Jihyo finally admitted to herself that she liked girls, too, but she hadn’t made a single effort actually to go and meet them. That was too scary, even for someone as brave as Park Jihyo.

Biting her lip, she admitted, “I might be scared.”

And _might be_ , as in the idea of going out with a woman made her stomach flip-flop so intensely she thought she might vomit. It was both fear and excitement, she knew, but… still.

Nayeon gave her a sympathetic look, “That’s exactly why you need to go with me, Hyo. You’ll get to meet women who are also into women, so you won’t have to go through the trouble of finding them, which you might not know, but it’s not as easy as I make it seem,” she informed Jihyo, as seriously as if she could master, “Plus it’s a dating class, so you’ll get to practice it, so when the real deal happens you’ll be a pro.”

It wasn't that she didn't want to dip back into the dating pool... She'd often think about going out with guys because they were easier to deal with; they were always… there. Women were harder. And, well, scarier.

The class was maybe going to help her ease into it, though. It was somewhat comforting, knowing that all of these varieties of women were out there and just as not straight as she was. And maybe (potentially) possibly, interested in her. The thought of it made her heart beat a little faster.

Jihyo sighed, stretching her arms above her head, as she answered honestly, “I dunno, Nay. I don’t think I’ll be comfortable. And you–“

Nayeon launched herself on top of her friend once again to interrupt what she knew would be a long speech. She stared at Jihyo’s eyes with a pout on her lips, “Don’t overthink this, Hyo. It’ll be good for both of us, I promise. And I also promise to buy all the bulgogi you want. And mint chocolate ice cream!”

“I can afford to pay for my food, thank you very much.” Jihyo countered, trying to shove Nayeon away, but the older girl stayed in place, preventing the girl from ignoring her.

“Just try it.”

Jihyo stared at her for a brief moment before she let out a long-suffering sign giving up. And it’s not an easy thing to do because Park Jihyo’s not known for that (at least, that’s what she likes to believe). But her roommate is too annoying, too persistent. And that day, at that moment, she has had enough. She couldn’t take it anymore, so whatever it took to make Nayeon shut up, she’s going to do it. She will, or God help her, she’ll end up murdering her roommate… and it wasn’t in Jihyo plans an one-way ticket to jail.

She closed her eyes, groaning; she’d _definitely_ regret it later. “Fine. But only so that I can say that I tried.”

* * *

“Why don’t we sit in the back? This is totally unnecessary.”

Jihyo looked around. They were sitting in the front row, right in front of the professor’s table. It was humiliating. They seemed desperate, and Park Jihyo did _not_ play the desperate card.

Nayeon dismissed her friend’s words, rearranging the pencils on her table. “Because we want to give the professor a good impression and pass this course.”

The younger continued looking around. It wasn’t as full as she thought it’d be, but she still couldn’t recognize anyone. And that said a lot since everyone knows most women that are also interested in women all know each other from the moment they come out, especially when there’s so little of them, but not Jihyo.

“I can’t believe you dragged me to this class.” She hissed, turning to look at her friend.

“I didn’t put a gun on your head and forced you. And why are you even complaining?” Nayeon said while scanning over the place in the hopes of finding someone good enough for her to obsess over the semester. It wasn’t going to be easy for her to narrow her findings to just one girl when pretty much all of them were gorgeous. She’d have a full plate by the time the course was finished. “It’s filled with cute girls. There’s no way you’re not gonna find someone you’ll like.”

Jihyo couldn’t argue with that. There were indeed plenty of beautiful girls scattered around the class, but how interesting would they truly be? Jihyo wasn’t sure if she wanted to meet someone desperate enough to join a dating class. She knew that if she really wanted, she could get a date elsewhere; she could find a way to muster all the courage she needs and hit on a girl anywhere else. She didn’t need to lower her standards by joining a dating class just because it was her first time.

Jihyo scoffed, loudly and with obvious scorn, “I told you I don’t want to date anyone.”

“You say this now, but who knows how you’ll be feeling in a couple of months when you need someone to help you relieve stress?” Nayeon pointed out shamelessly because that might’ve happened a couple of times before.

Jihyo blushed. She could do that just fine on her own, thank you very much.

“If this ends badly, you’re moving out,” She grumbled with her arms crossed.

“I should start looking for a place right away then,” the older joked but stopped when her friend glared at her, “Relax, you’ll be thanking me and you know it.

* * *

As the minutes of the lesson passed, the ceaseless buzzing of the classroom and the unlimited amount of energy the students contained increased, but that did nothing to calm Jihyo’s nerves that were about to skyrocket as the teacher continued to speak.

Mrs. Lee, or Sunmi (as she insisted everyone called her), is as beautiful as she is intelligent and well-spoken, and Jihyo watched as most students around her hang onto every word she said, chins propped up in their palms as if they’re love-struck.

Not that she was paying attention, she was too busy daydreaming about finding a plausible excuse to get the hell away from there. She shouldn’t have agreed with her friend (Jihyo was one hundred per cent certain of that the second they arrived at class and Nayeon started to brag about every girl she had made out with, which Jihyo later realised was half of the class), but it was too late now. A joke offer to leave had been made ten minutes ago, and as much as Jihyo wanted nothing more than just to run away when the professor said that, she was forced to stay in place when Nayeon gave her a stern look preventing her from ditching that miserable class in order to do _literally_ _anything_ else.

“….We’re naturally intimidated by change and challenge. When you’re too scared to start something on your own, it is best to have someone else push you into it.” Nayeon nudged her in the arm as if saying, _you’re welcome_. Jihyo barely rolled her eyes at her. “Having said that, I want you to introduce yourselves now. The first one to go is....”

Jihyo watched as Sunmi brought a black box to the center of the class. She placed it on top of her desk before taking a small piece of folded paper from it and read out loud, “Minatozaki Sana. You get to pick the next person when you’re done. And that person becomes Sana’s first partner.”

Out of boredom, Jihyo tapped on the notification that appeared on her phone at that precise moment, not bothering to pay attention to the commotion happening at the front. That’s how she missed her name being called the first time, but she caught the “..hyo” by the second try and that was enough to make her lift her head in order to search who’s been calling it.

Nothing could’ve prepared her for what she saw. She was caught by surprise by seeing the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen standing in front of the class, holding a small paper on her hand while she looked around with a confused expression.

She had sculpted defined jaw, skin that was just like flawless porcelain with full pink lips, and a softly sloping nose. Brown hair spilling over her shoulder in long waves with her tall frame and a slender body resembling of a supermodel. Jihyo stared, and she knew she’s staring, but she couldn’t help herself. That girl was prettier than all the ones in Nayeon’s magazines.

Jihyo’s breath tightened in her throat, and it finally hitched when the girl’s eyes (dark, kind eyes) swept over her and lingered a second too long. Suddenly Jihyo was all too aware that she’s all but gawking, and she felt her face turning bright red as she dropped her gaze and stared hard at her desk. She’s brought back to reality by her friend tugging on her sleeve.

“Is Park Jihyo not here?” Jihyo heard first, followed by “That’s you, weirdo.”

It was enough to make her head spin, and she felt a small jolt of panic dart through her. This was so far from her realm of what to expect, that she found herself speechless for a few seconds.

Nayeon nudged her friend again, prompting her to give the poor girl standing an answer, so Jihyo slowly lifted her arms, “Do I need to go to the front?” she asked in a weak voice.

Sunmi nodded with a reassuring smile, “Yes, introduce yourself, then please pick another name after you’re done, and that person will pick their partner’s name and so go on.”

Jihyo wanted to squeeze her eyes closed for a few moments, just to gather her thoughts at whatever train wreck this was turning into. But she didn’t (couldn’t) and instead, she finally dragged her eyes away from the woman standing at the front and gave her friend a dirty look that said _you’re gonna pay for this_. She was met with a wide smile. Nayeon was having way too much fun at her expense.

After taking a moment to make sure she was as composed and as well put-together as she always made a point to be, Jihyo got up from her seat and went to stand in front of the class, crossing paths with the girl that had been calling her name.

She threw the girl a look, who was watching her with an enthralling smile, “Hello, I’m Park Jihyo. I’m majoring in music and I have no idea what I’m doing here.... So yeah.” Finally, at that comment, Jihyo’s eyes left Sana’s, and she threw a glare at Nayeon before hurrying to take a piece of paper so her time would be cut short “Kim Dahyun?”

Jihyo practically jogged to her place after that, her eyes trained in the floor before she slumped back into her chair, mortified. She turned to glare at her friend.

“Partner?” Jihyo whispered to Nayeon, not liking the sound of it. She had agreed to come to the class and listen to idiotic things she wasn’t really interested, but partnering with someone was a totally different matter. It meant she’d get closer to someone; a girl. And Jihyo wasn’t sure if she was ready for that yet.

“Yes, a partner to practice dating with you. Didn’t you know? It was in the syllabus.” Nayeon replied with an innocent tone, and Jihyo just knew her friend had opted from leaving that out on purpose.

“I’m going to kill you.” She murmured under her breath, and Nayeon smirked at her.

“No, you're not. You’re so lucky for getting Sana as your partner,” she whispered in her ears, “she’s so hot.”

“You know her?” Jihyo asked, opting for ignoring the last part.

“Yeah. Everyone knows Sana. I told you about her, the exchange student everyone’s falling in love with.”

Jihyo just stared at her friend with a puzzled face, not recognizing what she was hearing. Nayeon liked to talk about everyone and everything, so Jihyo wasn’t entirely sure of whom she was referring to, as most of the time she spaces out when the girl starts speaking.

Her friend was about to explain some more when she heard her name being called. Nayeon squicked by her side before jumping from her seat and walking to the front of the class, a cute bunny smile plastered on her face. Jihyo knew that was one of her friend’s tactics to charming girls into liking her; the same one that charmed her that stupid night.

“Hi everyone, my name’s Lim Nayeon. I’m majoring in Fashion Design. My goal is to launch my brand in fashion after I graduate. Thank you.” She finished with a grin while waving enthusiastically before grabbing a paper. Instantly her smile faded and she signed, “Kim Yerim?”

Jihyo laughed. She laughed at her friend's misery but immediately disguised it as a cough when Nayeon shot her a dangerous glare. _Oh yeah, karma is a bitch._

* * *

The rest of the lecture went in one ear and out the other. Jihyo couldn’t stop thinking about the girl who’s now her partner for the rest of the semester. She didn’t like the fluttering in her stomach or the shortness of breath she felt just for looking at the girl she’d probably end up growing close to. The feeling scared her enough to make Jihyo want to bolt out of the room ASAP, every warning sign in her brain telling her she was in for a massive headache and probably other types of aching if things went out of her control, but the promise she’d made to her friend kept her still. Try it once and then she can leave. That’s what she’d do.

By the end of the class, Sunmi had instructed them to sit with their designated partners so they could introduce themselves, and now Jihyo was all by herself (since Nayeon had to deal with her own drama at the moment), on the brick of having a panic attack when suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Hi, I’m Sana,” a smooth, feminine voice said with a grin before taking Nayeon’s seat, offering her hand for Jihyo to shake.

“Park,” The younger replied meekly and gave Sana's hand a quick, firm shake, “Jihyo.”

Sansa’s voice was soft, almost as soft as the hand she offered. Jihyo reveled in it, the dry, warm softness of her palm against her own, long fingers clasping around hers for a brief moment. The contact made her shiver, and she was surprised at her own reaction, eyes widening as her stomach dropped out.

Sana’s eyes light up, “Nice to meet you, Jihyo,” she murmured, the name flowing easily, smoothly from her lips, “I guess we’re partners now,” she said easily, seemingly oblivious to Jihyo’s discomfort.

Jihyo wished her heart would stop beating so hard, so she only nodded and gave her a tight smile. She shouldn’t feel intimidated by the girl standing in front of her, but she does, and it makes her want to curl up and hide. Sana’s still smiling at her, and Jihyo wished she’d stop because it’s so kind and open that Jihyo can feel herself being lured in by it, and people with smiles like that never mean anything good.

“So, Jihyo, what are we doing for our date?”

 _Date?_ “What date?”

“It’s in the syllabus. We’ll have various assignments throughout the semester which we’ll need to complete as a couple, and the first one is for us to go on a date while completing the 10,000 step challenge.”

Why did no one tell her that? Maybe she should take a look at that goddamn brochure once she got back home so it wouldn’t take her by surprise anymore. She wouldn’t be shocked if she found out they’d be role-playing a wedding by the end of the semester.

Shaking her head slightly, Jihyo made sure her smile was kept in place, “I didn’t know that,” she admitted. Her façade didn’t fade at all, her expression still unchanged, even as her thoughts were running a mile a minute. A date with this beautiful girl…. Jihyo could do that, of course she could, and then she could find whatever excuse to leave, and Nayeon wouldn’t be able to say she didn’t try. The wheels in her head were already turning, “You should give me your number and I’ll text you when I come up with something.... for our date. If you don’t mind.”

Jihyo concluded that if they were supposed to go on a date, she’d rather have control over the situation, whatever that meant.

Sana smiled and nodded.

Jihyo offered her phone so the girl could add her info onto it, but Sana dismissed it, instead choosing to borrow a pen from Nayeon’s desk and grabbing Jihyo’s left arm with her free hand, where she started to write in elegant handwriting her number with a heart at the end.

Jihyo stared at her surprised and Sana smiled brilliantly while placing the pen back onto Nayeon’s belongings. A sound coming from Sana’s phone caught her attention and before Jihyo knew, the girl was already on her feet, looking expectantly at her before long lashes fluttered slightly.

“I’m sorry, but I need to go. It was lovely meeting you, _partner_. Looking forward to our date!” Sana took her by surprise by placing a long peck on her cheek, followed by a wink before walking to the door and just like that she was gone, leaving a very distressed Park Jihyo behind.

With a lift of her eyebrow, Jihyo took a deep breath as she tried to ignore the way her skin burned where Sana touched her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***i might end up editing this chapter later since i wanted to post it on jihyo's bday but im not entirely pleased w it
> 
> i hope you enjoyed <3


	2. two

“What’cha doing stalking Sana?”

Jeongyeon’s voice right next to Jihyo’s ear startled her, causing the younger to fumble the phone in her hands. Even though her heart was still pounding in her chest, she threw her friend a glare, “Uh? Can I have some privacy? Thank you.”

Opened on her phone was Sana’s Instagram profile. She’d been going over it obsessively over the past few days, ever since she left the dating class.

The woman in the picture, smiling up at her from her phone, made her stomach erupt in butterflies. It was probably because of those piercing eyes that Jihyo swore were somehow seducing her through the screen. Or maybe it had something to do with that smile, she thought faintly. It was coquettish in a manner that was somehow sexy and… cute at the same time. Utterly captivating. Either way, Jihyo couldn’t seem to stop scrolling through the girl’s profile.

Her friend rolled her eyes before taking a seat next to her, “What are you doing stalking Sana?”

“You know her?” Jihyo asked before groaning and laying back against the couch, laying her phone in her lap, still open to Sana’s profile. Jeongyeon simply nodded, “She’s in that dating class Nayeon dragged me. We’re partners. Whatever that means.”

Jeongyeon was giving her a wide-eyed look that she recognized the pride in before a smug smirk took over, “So, you’re technically dating Sana, right?”

Jihyo found herself shifting uncomfortably at the tone of her voice but nodded slightly, because… well, it was _kinda_ true, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Jeongyeon’s dubious look shifted, melting into laughter, “She’s friends with Mina. I don’t know how I never thought about it before, but you guys could totally work.”

“I doubt that. I think I’ll drop out, anyways. Nayeon’s probably doing it too, so there’s no point of me continuing,” Jihyo huffed out a laugh, “She’s partnered with Yeri.”

A disgruntled, strangled sound of protest worked its way out of Jeongyeon’s throat, “ _Of course_ she is. That girl is the unluckiest person I know, Jesus Christ. You know they’ll probably gonna end up fucking, right?”

A devious smile played on Jihyo’s mouth, even as her exasperation showed in her tone, “I’m sure that’s exactly what they’re doing right now. She hasn’t been replying to my texts.”

“She’s so stupid, honestly. But there’s no reason why you should let this opportunity pass just because Nayeon can’t keep it in her pants. Sana’s really nice, y’know. Sometimes even a little _too_ nice; the type to make Mina jealous,” Jihyo gave her a surprised look but Jeongyeon’s smile didn’t falter, “You know I love Mina more than anything. What I mean is: there’s no way you’re not gonna end up liking her, seriously, trust me.”

For a moment, the option to text Sana seemed to taunt her, and her mind ran amuck with the idea of seeing the girl again. Or even going on that date with her. Just a moment was enough for her heart to race, she quickly shook her head, “I don’t think so.”

“Why not? She’s hot, you’re hot. You need an introduction to the rainbow world, and she’d be a really good one,” her friend’s voice was so matter-of-the-fact that it almost didn’t make Jihyo blush.

As it was, she glanced at Sana’s picture again, before taking a deep breath and shaking her head again, “It’s not that easy, Jeong; I don’t just want to hook up with a girl, you know. I’m not like Nayeon who’s happy to sleep around and don’t give two shits about it. And besides, she’s– I mean, _look at her_. She’s gorgeous! I’ll end up making a fool of myself.”

Jeongyeon gave her a defeated look before turning her attention to her phone, and Jihyo was grateful that the subject seemed to be dropped. Not that she thought it would be dropped for long, considering she’d known Jeongyeon forever, and when she got her teeth into something, she held on tight.

Jihyo should have known her friend was letting her off the hook too quickly. She _really_ should have known; it was practically her own fault when her phone was snatched from her hands.

For a moment, Jihyo sat there, stunned into stillness. Before she lunged forward, hands out, grasping. Only for Jeongyeon to elude her, hopping off of the couch and running to the kitchen, as she started tapping at the screen.

“Yoo Jeongyeon, give my phone back now,” she commanded, and she knew in the momentary pause of Jeongyeon’s typing that she did a pretty great job of projecting her voice into a strong reproachful tone. Not good enough, though.

Her friend had a familiar bright-eyed devious look as she held Jihyo’s phone up and wiggled it; but not close enough for Jihyo to swipe it out of her hand, “I’m helping you out,” not moving her eyes from the screen, “If I don’t this then you’ll never know.”

Brown eyes narrowed as determination to not be railroaded into something rushed through her. And in a calculated leap, she closed the distance between them, grappling for her phone back.

It was fruitless, though. Because only a moment later, Jeongyeon cried out victoriously, “Sent!” as she pumped her fists over her head in celebration.

The sound that left the back of Jihyo’s mouth was nearly feral, “ _You didn’t_!”

“Of course I did,” Jeongyeon gave her a smile that showed no regrets, “Hyo, you need to get out of your shell. I’m doing you a favor.”

Jihyo only hesitated for a moment, but it was enough for Jeongyeon to latch on to. Still, she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

It seemed Jeongyeon knew her too well, though, because she held her hands out in a peace offering gesture, “Look. I’ll give you the phone _if_ you promise you’ll give it a chance. Just go on a date with her, that’s it. I know that there is at least a part of you that wants to try this out. Otherwise, you would’ve texted her off already.”

There was no argument against it even in her head because she did. There was that part of Jihyo that wanted to meet Sana again.

Even as nerves jangled in anxiety and excitement inside, she found herself nodding and reaching for her phone. As she wrapped her fingers around it, she shot Jeongyeon a look and cautioned, “A date. I can do that, but then I’m out.”

“Spoilsport,” Jeongyeon muttered before letting out a long-suffering sigh but released her phone anyway. She quirked an eyebrow, “Now, have you changed your mind about coming out with us tonight?”

Jeongyeon had invited Jihyo to a party at Mina’s dorm, something that happened every other week. Time and time again, Jihyo would refuse, choosing to stay at the comfort of their apartment with the company of a good ol’ book rather than to mingle with drunk people she didn’t even know. Tonight was no different if the glare Jihyo sent Jeongyeon was answer enough.

“Fine, fine. Suit yourself. Stay home and obsess over Sana.”

Ignoring her friend, Jihyo frantically navigated through her phone to see her sent messages. And then just about died.

**_Jihyo 8:21PM_ **

hey, it’s Jihyo from dating class

i just wanted to let you know

that i’m making the first move

by texting you, so i hope you

make the next move by kissing me x

Horrified, she didn’t acknowledge at all as her friend all but ran out of the apartment. Jihyo didn’t think she could possibly blush more than she already was. Low-key panic started to build.

With a groan, she brought her hand up to rub at her temples. It was futile to worry, right? Because there was nothing she could do now. Texting something more would just be humiliating. If Sana humored Jeongyeon’s ridiculous message and answered back, then Jihyo would just explain the situation. Hopefully, Sana would think it was funny, and that’d be it.

Jumping to the girl’s Instagram, she peered again at the picture of the woman. She bit her lip as a small sigh escaped. Sana was almost _too_ hot if that was possible. Which was a good thing, she reasoned with herself. She probably wasn’t even going to have to try to explain Jeongyeon and embarrass herself because Sana was bound to have a ton of people flirting with her all the time. Jihyo wasn’t the first, much less the last.

She locked her phone with that in mind putting it face down on the table, and tried to shake off the whole ordeal.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Jihyo could be founded purposefully finishing Jeongyeon’s favorite ice cream, rooted to the same spot on the couch. Jihyo herself wasn’t a big fan of the pistachio flavor, but it was a small strike back against her friend for her earlier actions. Jeongyeon should know there would be several small acts of justice coming her way.

When her phone vibrated on the table, she assumed it was either Nayeon, with some excuse of why she hadn’t been replying, or Jeongyeon, saying she’s sorry. If not, then maybe a family member. There were several expected options.

She wasn’t expecting it to be from Sana.

The spoon she’d been holding clattered into the bowl as she hurriedly unlocked her phone and tapped on the notification, leading her to see _Sana’s new message_ splayed on the screen.

Nervously, she leaned forward to put her bowl on the table and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. It didn’t work, and she clicked on the message anyway.

**_Sana, 10:36 PM_ **

I could make that happen…

Just tell me when and where ;)

Jihyo’s eyes widened as she triple-read that. Her heart beat just a bit faster at that, as she flushed and bit her lip. Did Sana mean what Jihyo thought she meant? She had to; there was no other way to interpret that.

She hesitated as her mind took her options and ran with them for a few solemn moments. She thought of being that kind of person who could go out and hook up with Sana and have that be it. No feelings involved. She was so very nervous about her first everything with a woman that maybe having sex with someone she barely knew and getting it over with would be easier.

But that wasn’t her, even if she thought it might be nice if it was, in this case. And sometimes, she’d learned, easier was not always better.

Biting her lip, she started typing.

**_Jihyo, 10:45PM_ **

LMAO

my friend actually sent you that as a joke

sorry, should’ve texted you explaining

Jihyo stilled after she sent the message. Clasping her phone in her hand, she stared blankly at the movie on the television for a few moments. Being honest was good, right?

The answer came a few minutes later.

**_Sana, 10:49PM_ **

Oh

Can’t say that I’m not sad :(

For a moment, she thought about what that might mean. Entertained the idea that maybe this gorgeous woman had seriously been interested in making out with her, and to say it was a major rush was an understatement.

Her phone chimed again before she had a chance to reply.

**_Sana, 10:49PM_ **

but I’m still glad you texted me

I was wondering if you weren’t going to

Truth be told: Jihyo wasn’t, but she couldn’t tell her that. Jihyo wasn’t rude. She never did something if she thought it would actually be the wrong move, never acted on a thought without considering it carefully. So she thought on it for a few moments.

**_Jihyo, 10:50PM_ **

ofc I was

ive just been busy with school lately

It wasn’t exactly a lie. Jihyo’s always busy.

**_Sana, 10:53PM_ **

I know the feeling

So, have you decided about our date

No. Jihyo had not thought about their date. Her mind had been too preoccupied with obsessing over Sana’s appearance that she couldn’t think about anything else. But there’s no way she could tell her that, either. It’d been two days already; she should have a plan by now. So she typed the only cover-up she could think of.

**_Jihyo, 10:54PM_ **

i did…

im not telling you though

it’s a surprise

u’ll have to trust me

She hesitated before sending the message because she didn’t like lying. Regardless, Jihyo sent it anyway. It bought her enough time to come up with something interesting for them to do.

**_Sana, 10:54PM_ **

Ohh I love surprises :)))

When and where do we meet

* * *

The next day Jihyo’d been lying on her back, staring up at her phone, without enough energy in her to jump from surprise when her bedroom door swung open, Nayeon’s voice ringing out, “Should I wear leggings, with those sexy boots I have or red dress with your fuck-me heels that you will obviously let me borrow?”

Without taking her eyes from her phone, Jihyo considered the options for a moment before answering, “Red dress.”

She didn’t bother directing her where to find the heels; Nayeon knew very well where they were. She’d borrowed them enough times.

Instead, she felt Nayeon’s weight sink into the bed next to her, before fingers plucked at the hem of her t-shirt insistently, making Jihyo look at her, “You think I’m stupid for going out with Yeri?”

Jihyo didn’t have to say anything for Nayeon to know her answer. She toyed for a moment with pretending she had to think about what she was going to say. For better or for worse, she’d known Nayeon far too long not to know. Tilting her head to the side, she shrugged, “You tell me, Nay. You’re the one that’d been cheated on repeatedly when you dated her.”

“I know… But I cheated on her too, so we’re kinda even. And I don’t want to get back together,” Nayeon said truthfully, and Jihyo could see that, “It’s just sex. No strings attached.”

“Does _she_ knows that?”

“Yes,” Nayeon said, before correcting herself, “Well, I think so. We haven’t really talked about it. We haven’t really talked at all if you know what I mean…” Nayeon showered her a large, annoyingly suggestive smile. One that she didn’t want to see and Jihyo sighed, looking back at her phone, “Why are you mopping? Weren’t you going out with Sana?”

Signing, Jihyo answered, “Tomorrow.”

The idea of it all consumed her thoughts and had since the previous afternoon. The anxiety that it caused made her hands shake, even now.

“Where are you taking her? Don’t forget you’re supposed to complete that 10,000 steps challenge or whatever.”

“Are _you_ completing the 10,000 steps challenge on your date?” Jihyo deadpanned.

“No, but sex burns the same amount of calories, so it’s basically the same. Now, stop diverging from the topic. Where are you taking Miss Japan?”

“We’re hiking Bukhansan mountain.”

After texting Sana, the previous night, Jihyo had spent most of her night searching for options of what they could do for their date. The ideas Google provided ranged from the conventional movies and dinner to the extremes like bungee jumping together (no, thank you). She came upon excellent suggestions that really interested her, such as a karaoke date (her ideal first date idea) or even taking a class together (which would be nice if the date wasn’t already _because_ they were taking a class together), so she changed strategies and went on to search for sporty things to do in Seoul, which is how she came up with the idea of hiking the Bukhansan mountain. It had a basic course for someone as inexperienced as herself, and they’d definitely complete the 10,000 steps challenge while hiking it plus, there was a promise to a great view of Seoul when you reached a certain altitude.

“You hate exercising,” Nayeon looked absolutely baffled because sure enough, Jihyo declined every offer she made about them training together, the younger being quick to refute any type of physical exercise, “Just take a stroll down Han river and call it a day, you don’t need to go hiking.”

Other than an irritated eye roll, she ignored it, “I don’t mind. I’ve always wanted to hike a mountain. This way, I can take it from my list.”

“Suit yourself-“ Nayeon cut herself off with the sound of her phone chiming, “It’s Yeri, she’s almost here. I need to get ready,” For some disturbing reason, this just made Nayeon grin wider, practically exuberant while being devious.

Jihyo knew she didn’t want to know what was going on in her mind. Not that that would stop Nayeon from letting her know, “I’ll probably sleep out tonight. So tomorrow when I come home I want to hear all about your date, okay? Enjoy yourself, please!”

* * *

By the time she arrived in front of the girl’s building, Jihyo was rethinking the whole plan. What if Sana didn’t like what she’d planned? She should’ve texted the girl asking if she liked hiking. The entire date would go downhill if Sana hated physical exercising as much as Jihyo did.

With a deep breath to try to calm her nerves, she held her hands against her stomach, pressing into the soft material as if it would help relax her, trying to pull herself together as best as she could. Because spending last night stressing about and thinking about Sana did nothing to soothe her, and now that she was here, there was nothing she could do to back out.

Enough that, she steadied her hands as she approached the girl standing in front of the posh building, “I’m sorry I’m a little late.”

Jihyo skimmed her gaze up, feeling slightly dazed as she took in Sana’s bare shoulders, up her slender neck, taking in her deceptively simple-looking done-up hair that allowed a few curly tendrils to fall around her face. Before she landed on her face, taking in the subtle makeup, small smile, and honeyed brown eyes.

“Don’t worry about that,” Sana gave her an appraising look, “How are you?”

“I’m good, I’m good. How about you?”

“I’m great, really excited for our date,” Sana admitted, a charming smile plastered on her face.

“As you should be,” Jihyo joked before taking a second look at what Sana was wearing, “Uh, I think you should change your outfit, though.”

“Why?” Sana took a step back and looked down at her own clothes, alarmed, “What’s wrong with it?”

Jihyo gave her an apologetic look, “I’m so sorry if this is not your thing, I totally should’ve asked you first, but since we need to complete that stupid 10,000 step challenge, I thought it’d be fun if we went…hiking.”

She watched Sana expectantly. It was now or never. Either she had had a fantastic idea, or this was the worst thing she could’ve come up with. It appeared to be the right one because Sana showed her another one of her charming’s smiles.

“That does sound fun. Back in Japan, I used to be outdoor a lot with my dad; we’d hike through some parks around our region. It’s been a long time since I have last done it, but this could definitely be fun,” Sana couldn’t help the squeal of excitement from escaping her, even as she bounced up and down on her heels. Her smile was huge as she added, “You seem surprised, though.”

Jihyo gave her a sheepish smile, “I thought you wouldn’t like. You don’t seem the type to like a lot of hassle,” She blurted out before she could stop herself.

She felt instantly bad for saying it, but luckily Sana didn’t take offence by her comment if the laugh she let out was anything to go by.

She expected there to be a blush that broke out on Sana’s ridiculously flawless cheekbones but instead was met with the sight of the taller woman only shifting slightly back and forth on her feet, “Well, there’s plenty of things you don’t know about me, Park Jihyo,” She winked at her, “I’ll just go and change into something sportier. Do you want to come up? It’ll be just a second.”

Jihyo shook her head, pointing to a bench at the front of the building. “It’s okay. I’ll just wait here.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back. Don’t miss me too long.”

* * *

“Are you okay?” Sana asked, her hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, cheeks red with exertion and the chilly temperature.

“I’m fine,” Jihyo muttered, feeling her legs tremble from the amount of walking they did, “We’re almost there,” she reassured (mostly to herself) **.**

Jihyo was breathing hard, but she couldn’t help the smile on her face: this was way more fun than she expected.

They fell into a natural silence as they trekked up the path. It was, by all accounts, a perfect day outside. The sun beamed down overhead, cooled by the slight breeze in the air. Birds chirped excitedly from a distance, hopping on and off of branches and ruffling the hanging leaves. The scent of blooming flowers wafted from the edges of the path, heightened by the evaporating dew.

After a good two hours trekking over knobby roots and soft ground, they arrived at their destination. With practiced strength, Jihyo gripped the ledge with grimy hands and hoisted her body onto it before offering her hand to Sana so she could help her do the same.

Jihyo’s hands fell to her side as she gawked in awe. They stood on the ledge of a rock formation, where they were rewarded with a panoramic view of the cityscape, as well as the surrounding hills. The scenery was jaw-dropping. The sky was blue with only a faint wisp of cloud on the horizon.

The cityscape stretched for miles, with the buildings looming smaller and smaller as they disappeared into the distance. They went hazy after a while, with heat distortion or what, Jihyo’s not entirely sure, but it looked cool. 

“Seoul looks so tiny from up here,” Sana said softly, and Jihyo hummed in agreement.

Jihyo drew her backpack from her shoulders and tossed it down, taking a moment to rub her shoulders where the straps had laid. She routed through her bag and pulled free a tupperware packed with sandwiches, another one filled with dasik and yakgwa, fruits, juices, and water. She watched Sana's face light up at the sight.

“Are you hungry?” Jihyo asked, handing her a can of drink and a packaged sandwich from her bag, “I should’ve asked what you like first, but I made an egg salad sandwich.”

Sana took the offered items, giving Jihyo a reassuring smile, "Don’t worry. I eat just about anything edible," she commented, opening the can and taking a drink before going for the sandwich. 

Jihyo placed a small speaker next to them and went through her phone, choosing a random playlist with chill songs to play so the atmosphere would be friendlier.

They ate in comfortable silence, appreciating the music and each other presence. When they were finished, Jihyo sat quietly, biting the inside of her cheek, unsure how to start a conversation. Sana looked at her expectantly, and Jihyo laughed nervously, immediately disguising it as a cough.

Before she could even open her mouth, though, it was Sana who spoke. She narrowed her eyes at her and asked, “Are you worried about something?”

Jihyo looked up at Sana and deadpanned, “What?”

“People worried or anxious about something often cough to clear their throat like that,” Sana explained, pointing a finger to Jihyo’s face.

“Did I do that? I haven’t noticed,” Jihyo said, surprised and Sana nodded, “I don’t have anything like that, though.”

“That’s defensive posturing to conceal the truth. Thus, saying you have nothing to be worried about is a lie.” Sana said matter-of-factly.

“Are you shrinking me right now?” Jihyo asked, making a face.

One of the things she learned about the older girl while looking at her profile was that she was a senior majoring in Psychology. The last thing she needed was this gorgeous creature analyzing her every move. She already felt uneasy at her presence as it is.

The Japanese ignored her and asked, “You haven’t been sleeping well lately, have you?” She frowned and tilted her head.

Jihyo raised her eyebrows slightly. Is it so obvious? It took her a moment before her face softened, and she asked, “How do you know that?”

“Your eyes are bloodshot and look dark. Also, your complexion isn’t good.” Sana tacked on, but Jihyo could hear the concern on her voice to be taken as an actual insult.

Jihyo cackled as she asked, “Are you saying I’m ugly?”

Sana laughed softly before blushing like she's realized she's said something wrong and hurried to explain, “Far from it. I’m just merely letting you know that the face of today is made yesterday. The worries of the mind must be let go before going to bed each day, to always maintain a bright face.”

Jihyo looked down sheepishly, “If only it were so easy to let go of ill feelings.”

There was a small pause before Sana asked, “Can I tell you some solutions?” Jihyo nodded, “Before going to bed, I always meditate to get rid of stray thoughts.”

She looked at her, surprised, “You’re the only person I know who meditates.”

“In fact, meditating makes your left prefrontal lobe active, which in turn, converts a mood of melancholy to happiness, according to various research findings,” Sana explained, adding, “Neural theta waves promote mental stability by removing negative thoughts from your brain.”

Jihyo stared at her, perplexed by all the information she just received, “Wow.”

Sana was definitely more than just a pretty face, and she does seem kind enough, even if Jihyo doesn't entirely trust what might lie behind her adorable smiles and gentle eyes.

“I know you should totally try and do it. It’s not easy to get the hang of it first, but after you manage is so worth it.”

“I’ll think about it, thanks.”

* * *

Sana picked many wildflowers she found on their way to the top and shaped it into a crown, putting them in Jihyo’s hair, taking the younger by surprise.

Usually, Jihyo would object to such intrusion on her personal space, but it seemed nature had cast a spell on her. It was easy for her to let most of her worries go and just enjoy the moment, and right that moment, she felt so at peace that it felt like they’re the only two people in the world. But no way she’d be voicing that out loud.

Sana shuffled her hand around for her own backpack, pulling out an instant still camera, and before Jihyo could register what was happening, Sana snapped a picture of her.

“Sorry, I just love taking pictures,” Sana grinned at her, holding the printed paper in her hand, “I love recording the little things, and you look so pretty right now; it’d be a shame not to record this.”

Jihyo blushed, squinting her eyes at the harsh sun. “Well, then I think it’s only fair I take a picture of you as well.”

She extended her hand for Sana to let her borrow the camera while she handed the flower crown in exchange. She waited for the older girl to find a pose she liked and snapped a picture of her.

As she watched the picture appear on the printed paper, she wished she could keep it to herself but ended up handing it back to Sana, who put it back safely in her bag.

“This place is so pretty,” Sana giggled and glanced over at Jihyo, “Perfect for that kiss you asked.”

Jihyo was at a loss for words. She sputtered and stammered; her cheeks turned pink, and she ducked her head to get away from Sana’s suggestive stare.

“I told you that wasn’t me,” She finally said, forcing herself to meet Sana’s eyes. “I’m sorry again. My friends can be such a pain in the ass when they want.”

“Don’t worry, Jihyo-ssi. But I wasn’t joking when I said I was sad your offer wasn’t true.” Sana said, winking at the younger. Her intonation was enough to insinuate what she meant, and Jihyo almost choked on air.

It’d been a minute since she’s gotten actual butterflies—the kind she felt when she looked at Sana for the first time. But she felt them now, fluttering her heart and making her head float. It’s very fitting one drifts right by their knees—a swarm of them in her stomach.

The two stood like that for a while, staring into each other’s eyes until they heard voices coming from behind them. Jihyo looked over Sana’s shoulder to see another couple walking behind them.

“I think we still have some time until we need to make our descend,” Jihyo said, trying to take the attention away from that moment before laying on her back, Sana doing the same next to her.

They laid there until most of the snacks were gone, and they’re both full and tired. They talked about everything and nothing; Sana usually doing most of the talk while Jihyo drowned in the randomness that was the Japanese girl. After a while, they found comfort in the silence again, and in one of those stretches, Jihyo heard Sana softly snoring next to her, the exhaustion from their hike taking the best of her. Without overthinking, Jihyo let herself be taken as well.

Half an hour later, Jihyo opened her eyes to the prettiest sunset she’d ever seen, light orange and pink all around the sky.

She took a moment to soak all in, appreciating the moment she was having and how good everything went until she realized it would be almost entirely black within the hour, and they still had a hike down to make.

Gently, Jihyo tapped Sana’s shoulder, stirring her awake, “Hey, I think we need to go. It’s getting late.”

She watched as Sana sleepily opened her eyes, searching for who was disturbing her before showing Jihyo a dazzling smile that took the younger’s breath away.

She stretched before taking a deep breath and suddenly rose to her feet, all traces of sleepiness gone. Next to her, Jihyo pushed herself to her feet and stretched, arms up above her head. Her lower back popped appreciatively.

She gathered all of the things she brought, placing them back in her backpack, before wiping her hands on her pants, and turned around to see Sana looking into the distance. She was picturesque with her still posture and gently ruffled hair. The sun was shining down on her in _just the right way_ that made her skin glow. Sana was _honestly the most beautiful person Jihyo had ever seen_ _,_ and it took everything Jihyo had in her to tear her eyes off of her.

“Let’s go?” She asked, already turning to go back to the trail.

“Just one last picture,” Sana said, bringing Jihyo to stand next to her, their arms linked with the sunset behind their heads. She took her phone out before snapping several pictures of them, Jihyo finding it surprisingly easy for her to smile in all of them, “I want to remember today.”

Jihyo smiled and agreed. That was a day worth remembering.

They started descending around a bend, the trail narrowing and forcing them to walk one in front of the other. It was rocky and uneven. They started down the slope, but Sana was incredibly clumsy and almost slipped. Almost because Jihyo was fast enough to reach out and grab Sana to keep her steady, the older holding Jihyo’s hand all the way down, for safety (of course).

* * *

“So… First assignment complete. I’m sorry if it wasn’t what you thought it’d be, I’m no-“ Jihyo started but was interrupted by Sana, who planted a chaste kiss on her cheek, which was enough to silence Jihyo completely.

She pulled back, lips stretched into a small grin, “It was amazing, Jihyo-ssi. I had a great time. I’ll see you Tuesday?”

Jihyo’s heart beat just a bit faster at that, as she flushed and bit her lip. Sana liked their date.

“Of course, partner,” And she meant it.

Jihyo hadn’t been very eager about their date, but she found she enjoyed it quite a lot. Not just the scenery, the connection with nature, but above all, Sana’s company. Jihyo had expected many things but certainly not to like her so much. She was just so charming, so funny, _so pretty_. She knows she’s getting too excited about the whole thing, but it’s better than not feeling anything at all. Maybe continuing to go to the class wasn’t going to be such a drag.

They bid each other goodbyes, and Jihyo watched as Sana entered her building before turning and walking to the nearest bus stop.

By night, when Jihyo was already all tucked up under her blankets, her phone chimed, and she reached for it, opening to a message that had her smiling.

**_Sana, 10:51PM_ **

Thank you for today

Best date ever!!!! :))))

Goodnight, partner xx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you guys liked it :)
> 
> ***as always i'll be updating the chapters as i think of more ways to improve it


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